Carter

Words really seem inadequate trying to express how sorrowful, and sad we are to tell of the passing of Carter Harris age 6. He was an angel in many ways here on earth, but now he truly is dancing with the angels. His passing is bittersweet. We are sorrowful and broken hearted that he no longer is here with us on earth, but rejoice knowing that he is completely healed! His parents, Courtney and Skip as well as his big brother Tommy and little sister Caroline, need your prayers as they walk down a different path without Carter. Please take a moment and visit the Carter's Crusaders blog linked to the left and read about the journey this amazing child has finished, and the road ahead for the family he leaves behind.

Please Continue to Pray for Carter

This was last December....Carson and Carter watching the Fredericksburg Christmas parade. It was BITTER cold, and we had the first snow of the season start to fall during the parade. The kids were all bundled, waiting patiently for Santa to arrive. The parade this year was last Saturday....again it was bitter cold, and again we had the first snow of the season. It was perfect....except Carter wasn't there. I find it very hard to even imagine what has occurred to this brave little man in less than a year. He was diagnosed in February with an inoperable brain tumor. He has been fighting ever so valiantly and unfortunately there is nothing left that the doctors can do.

Please stop, and add Carter, his family, especially his sweet Mama to your prayers. Waiting on God, waiting on the inevitable has to be excruciating. Please pray for peace, acceptance, understanding and most of all comfort as Carter is called home to his saviour.

For continued updates check out http://carterharris.blogspot.com/ God Bless!

Time Flies.....

when you are too busy to stop and notice it. It has been 10 weeks since I started back to work full time. 10 weeks since I moved Carson to go to school with me...10 weeks since I slept late...had a semi clean house, read a book until I wanted to quit, instead of falling asleep. 10 weeks since graduate classes started up again. 10 weeks since I actually enjoyed coming home and playing Mommy and wife. Hectic doesn't quite seem to be the word that I am looking for. I

am looking for balance.....and honestly not having much success finding it. I only have one child...this is definitely doable, but I feel like I am barely keeping my head above water. Carson is lucky to get clean underwear, simply because I bought him more...was just easier than worrying he wouldn't have any clean for the day.

So we stopped last week.....took a break as a family and played all Sunday afternoon. Took the camera with us and this is what we got!

Worth it.....I think!

Lucky # 7

Today is Carson's 7th Birthday, Happy Birthday Carson. It seems like just yesterday when mommy and me found out about you, our lives changed, changed for the better. There hasn't been a day that goes by where I am not amazed by the things you say, the things you do, and how grown up you are becoming. Your a 1st grader and I hear that you are doing real good in school. Mommy and I are so proud of you and love you very much. So enjoy your birthday.

Happy Birthday,

Love Daddy and Mommy

Hard to Believe

It's Monday September 7th 2009, it's just after 10:30pm, Carson is sound asleep and Kari and I are headed that way shortly. Tomorrow that little boy who is growing into a big boy is starting 1st grade. Yes that is hard to believe, and in just 8 days he will turn 7 years old. It seems like just yesterday when he came into our lives, and here he is almost 7 years later starting the 1st grade.

Carson have a Great Day in school tomorrow.

Kari - I know that you have been very busy this summer and I know most of your time recently has been spent getting ready for your first day of school as the new Special Education Teacher for Autism at Conway Elementary.

Babe have a Great Day is school tomorrow too.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words....

A pictures is worth a thousand words.....right???? This is Carson's face as he started the downhill portion of his first roller coaster ride. We have season passes to Kings Dominion, and this time it was just Mommy and Carson. We had spent a major portion of the day in the water park associated with KD and on the way out Carson wanted to ride some rides. This is the Scooby Doo roller coaster in the Kidzville section, not a big coaster by any means, but definitely one that will pull your stomach up and scare you a bit. I asked Carson if he wanted to ride the roller coaster with me and he informed me that HE was riding it all by himself. I asked the attendants, and they stated that he met all the height/weight requirements, and it was safe for him to ride by himself. So he did. Said he wasn't scared at all....face says differently. He did want to ride it again a few minutes later.

Some Carson Humor

Wow two posts from me in less than a week.... you guys are going to get spoiled!

Carson being the star of our lives, did/said several things in the past couple of days that had his dad and I rolling with laughter, and frankly were too good not to share!

On Friday evening, Wayne and I were downstairs watching TV. Wayne looks outside and remarks that it is POURING out. I get up and go to the back door, and it isn't raining on the deck, it isn't even wet. So I step outside and look up just as water gushes out of the upstairs bathroom window. I turn to Wayne with a look of horror, and we both realize that Carson, who is supposed to be taking a shower, is instead in my bathtub. Wayne runs...literally...up the stairs, faster than I have ever seen him move. For those of you wondering...Wayne can run pretty fast when visions of water damage and catching a small child in the act of mischievous behavior are the motivating factor. I must have been stunned, because I distinctly remember thinking...let his father deal with this, let his father deal with this....it was my mantra. I did make up upstairs shorty after Wayne, only to find him laughing hysterically on our bed. I peek in the bathroom and Carson is naked as the day he was born, standing in my tub, with swim goggles on and a pitcher in his hands tossing water out the bathroom windows. Not window singularly...... but it is a corner tub, with windows on either side of the corner. He had both windows wide open, and alternated which side he dumped the water out of. I will say this for Carson, he had the foresight to take down the curtains, and there was not one drop of water on the floor.

Cut to Father's day, we had been discussing wives and husbands with Carson over dinner, trying to get him to understand that when a woman marries a man, she becomes his wife, and a man becomes a husband. So I was asking Carson if I was daddy's wife, he replied that I wasn't his wife......I was his prisoner! It is almost scary sometimes, what that boy comes up with.

One of the things that we have been working with Carson on is the value of telling the truth, and forgiveness. He had fallen into the routine of lying when he thought we would be angry or mad over something he had done. Trying to get him to understand that it was wrong to not tell the truth has been somewhat a daunting task, and I got into the habit of asking him if I could believe what he was telling me or or if he was lying. So now when we get onto him, his first words are,"I want you to believe me!!!!!" But, immediately if he doesn't get a response with that he follows with "I want you to forgive me forever", and occasionally uses "I want you to love me forever". The first couple of times he used these lines, the sincerity struck like a knife through my heart, and I responded with "of course I believe you" and "I will always forgive you and love you". But Carson, Master Manipulator that he is....uses these ALL. THE. TIME. So much so that I have told him that he cannot use these lines without a good reason. I will have to really be discerning and try to distinguish whether he is being sincere, or trying to manipulate the outcome of a punishment.

Endings and New Beginings....

This week was the last day of school. It was readily bittersweet, in that Carson, who had a FANTASTIC Kindergarten year is growing up and now a first grader, and I completed my second long term sub position. So much has happened since January....more than I ever imagined.

I subbed as the Special Education teacher in Autism, a position I loved so much, I started back to school, originally to get teacher licensure in Special Ed., but for only one extra class, I can get a Master's Of Education. Obviously, the path I chose. I will have two Master's Degrees when completed. Classes started in May, and while the homework routine takes some getting used to, I really am enjoying it.

The wonderful Autism teacher that I was subbing for came back after maternity leave and I started a long-term sub position for the art teacher. I went from 7 students to 935 students. While I do have an art degree, I found that I DO NOT like "teaching" art. In the mean time, the Autism teacher decided not to return next year to stay home with her beautiful baby girl, I was interviewed and was offered her position. I eagerly look forward to next fall and getting back with my sweet, sweet students. As strange as this might seem, I truly feel like at my age, I have FINALLY found what I want to be when I grow up. I used to teach school many years ago, and while I liked my job and I loved my students, my heart was not in it like it is now. The children that I am working with are all so incredibly unique and wonderful, truly gifts to be treasured, as are all children, but these have grabbed my heart and awakened something that makes me want to do whatever I humanly can to guide and instruct them.

In the midst of the Autism job, I met some pretty amazing people. I have been blessed with some wonderful new friends, and particularly one best friend. It is really nice to feel at home and surrounded by family and friends again.

Carson continues to amaze us... he completed Kindergarten with high scores and will be starting First grade at the school I am teaching in next year. I am really having a difficult time wrapping my mind around the idea of him being old enough for First grade. What happened to the 7lb 4 oz baby boy of mine. I told him the other day that he needed to stop growing up so fast. This was the conversation that followed:

Carson: "I have to grow up!.. I have to get a mom"!

Me: "But you already have a mom, me"...

Carson: "No, I need a different mom"!

Me: (slightly hurt and concerned at this point),"Why do you need a different mom"?

Carson: "So I can be a dad"

Light bulb went off! He doesn't want to get a new mom (Like I would ever let him LOL) He wants a wife! He just wants to grow up and have his own family. I truly love the fact that he is thinking about his future already. I know that if I slow down for one second, time will have passed and he will be grown and WITH a family of his own. If I could only slow time down a little....

I said all of this hopefully, to catch you up.... I have been rather remiss is blogging lately. I know that time slips away faster than I imagined and honestly life is way more important than blogging. I do hope to find time over the summer to update more frequently.

Summer plans are still a little up in the air at the moment. The school district is sending me to several conferences and training programs, and no dates have been set in stone yet, so travel plans this summer are still a little vague. We are hoping to get up to New Jersey, down to Virginia Beach, and hopefully back to Texas.

Quick Reminder....

As parents, you never ever want to think of your child sick or having something that could be life threatening. If you read my previous post you know that Carson was having issues falling asleep practically anywhere. So a couple of weeks ago, my gut was telling me to take him to the pediatrician and get him checked out. He was asleep on my lap in the Dr.'s office, and running a slight fever. After a very thorough exam, his ped told us two things that really scared the heck out of us. First she ran blood work on him and his white blood count was critically low. So low that she sent the blood to the hospital for a repeat count, and to check for abnormalities. Secondly, she mentioned that she wanted us to get Carson in to see a pediatric cardiologist, as the heart murmer that had previously been detected, now sounded very different.

Wayne was in Orlando at a week long conference, and called him and told him about the heart murmur, but waited to mention the white blood count. His ped told me that if the hospital count came back abnormal, he would need to come home, as we were looking at something critically wrong with his bone marrow. She was thinking quite possibly he had some form of blood cancer, leukemia being first on her mind. I went home and debated back and forth telling Wayne until I had a definitive answer from the hospital, but I told him and he went ahead and came on home on Saturday.

On my way home from the Dr.s office I called my mom and had her get the word out to start praying for Carson and specifically for this situation. I made an appointment with the pediatric cardiologist, and we waited. Friday night, I never heard anything from the hospital, so that indicated that they either were too busy to get the tests run, or that everything was fine. Monday morning I called the peds office back and they called me that afternoon and said that while the white blood count was critically low, he was immuno-suppressed, but his cells were NORMAL! One hurdle down, one to go. The ped, at this point was betting that he had mono, but we had to wait for that test to come back. We saw the cardio on Wednesday, and he spent about 45 minutes listening to Carson's heart and was able to settle those fears as well. Carson has two heart murmurs, in and of themselves completely normal. His Dr. was hearing the two combined, which made them appear abnormal. While what he has is very rare, it is something he most likely will outgrow, and something that should have no effect on his growth. That afternoon we also heard from the pediatricians office, that he did NOT have mono, they don't have any idea what is going on, but that his immune system is suppressed for some reason.

Today, he went back in for a blood draw, and his white blood cells were completely normal, actually they were a little on the high side. Carson is fine! Hallelujah.... no issues that we need to worry about, plus he had his second blood draw with no tears, and watched the whole thing!

Now I say all of this to remind you that not all mothers get the awesome news we got today. My friend Courtney is dealing with her little Carterman's brain tumor. Check my favorites for a link to the his blog for the latest on his condition. He has been in the hospital more than he has been out. They have had 2 steps forward and one step back weeks, but we know overall WHO is in control! WHO, she and Skip are relying on, and are praying daily for little Carter. We know that he is going to be a tremendous example of GOD's healing power and the testimony he will have will lead many to Him. Please remember to pray for Carter. Pray for his family, especially his momma!

He Really Can Sleep ANYWHERE!

Back in January I posted about Carson falling asleep in an unusual place. He had fallen asleep downstairs and and I woke him and sent him up to bed. He obviously didn't make it, see original post HERE . Then there was a couple of weeks ago, when he was "helping" me clean. I was vacuuming away, and turned around and he was out cold, again on the floor.

Then today, I go to pick him up after school at the sitters, and this is what I see......

I am kinda getting a little concerned. In the past week or two he will sleep about 11-13 hours at a time. I am thinking a growth spurt, along with allergy meds....

More Signs of Spring

I started this post about two weeks ago, and can't believe that I never got back to it! But as they say LIFE seriously tends to get in the way of the small stuff.... and honestly, life is way more important. I took all these pictures two weeks ago today. So to avoid confusion...I changed the post date. Pictured below is some beautiful pink dogwoods in full bloom. The day was an absolutely gorgeous day.... with one exception. The temperature was only supposed to reach about 85 degrees, by 1:00 p.m. the temps had soared to 95 degrees. Which really wouldn't be so bad, but the humidity creeped up along with the temps. We had a busy day planned... I did my best friends daughter's nails, Carson had a soccer game, and I was taking my best friends daughter's Prom pictures. Before the Prom Queen and King arrived, I walked the grounds of Chatham Manor, a prominent historical site in the Revolutionary war. Dogwoods were blooming, wisteria was blooming, as was all the pollen associated with it!

Aren't they the cutest couple??? Brie and Billy

I had a blast shooting non-traditional photos for them!But the posed shots were fun too!Brie, giving Barb, my best friend a kiss....They have an amazing relationship, and it was sooo much fun photographing someone besides Carson for a change!

I had to include this photo..... Carson just scored his first goal of the season!!!!

I was so happy with how the prom pictures came out, that I took Carson back there the next day for an impromptu photo shoot for me. One of my favorite ways to capture children is from behind, and unposed.

The cheese is coming out now!Walking through an arbor or some sort or another.Love these trees, They are Catalpa trees, and the sign says that they date back to the revolutionary war. I took several photos of both the prom couple and Carson in front of these trees.I LOVE this picture..... Carson walking in a huge field of buttercups.....One of these days I need to post an update and fill everyone at home in on all that has happened in our lives....It just needs to slow down a bit first! Hopefully, when school is out......only 26 more school days til summer! But really whose counting!

It's SOCCER Time Again!

Carson started his fourth season of soccer a couple of weeks ago. We joined the Stafford Area league. While I am a not a HUGE fan of Soccer in general...I do like to see my son play! he joined the U6 division and I am extremely thankful he got a coach who is knowledgeable and enthusiastic about teaching the game to the kids. What I don't like is some of the rules are a bit different from what we are used to playing. Carson lived and breathed to play goal. He would pick that position each and every time first. He is an AWESOME goalie too! While he is a good offensive player as well, he hasn't quite gained control over moving the ball down the field. He can kick like no ones business, he just has poor aim I guess. Anyway, we have had two of our games rained out, and played a make-up game last Tuesday. It was FRIGID! His division doesn't keep score, and there are no throw in from the side...a couple of different rules, but a fun time was had by all.
See... He loves the goal.... just have a hard time telling him that there are no goalies in this division.There are three red heads on this team...all with like personalities and temperaments!This is the REAL reason he likes goalie.....so he can swing from the bars! So... folks, as I did last year, be prepared to be bored to tears with soccer updates!

Cherry Blossoms!!!!

Last Sunday, we had decided that it was too rainy, Carson had been sick, and it just wasn't looking like a good day to drive up to see the cherry blossoms in D.C. We went about our morning, I even blogged that our plans had changed, then about 11 am, the clouds parted, the temps warmed up to about 70 degrees, and Carson was bouncing from being cooped up for almost five days. I looked at Wayne and said we really aught to just go ahead and go.......so we did. What a good decision that was!

Wayne dropped Carson and I off on the north side of the Tidal Basin and we slowly made our way around to the west side of the Basin. The trees were almost at peak bloom, and it was seriously like a fairy land walking under the canopy of blossoms. Take a close look at this picture.... do you see any railings along the walk????? Nope! Sidewalk ended at the edge of the water, and Carson loved to scare the heck out of me and get as close as possible, without me having a heart attack! This plaque says: The first Japanese Cherry Trees Presented to the city of Washington as a gesture of friendship and good will by the city of Tokyo, were planted on this site March 27th 1912.

From what I understand most of the original trees were destroyed due to some ailment that they brought over. There are a few of the originals left, but not many. What are there are STUNNING! Most have been replanted over the years.

Just a cute picture of the boy..... he is really turning into a little model.

Close up of some full bloom trees! The Jefferson Memorial across the Tidal BasinThe Washington Monument through the trees.

As we were walking we came into the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial gardens and falls is really a beautiful place along the Basin. There are several waterfalls, and the trees make an awesome backdrop.
The GQ pose....After spending the afternoon walking around the Tidal Basin, we treated ourselves to a late lunch/early dinner at our favorite seafood restaurant Phillips. Phillips is on Maine street right beside the Washington Marina, and the seafood markets.The huge copper pots steaming all the clams, mussels, shrimps and crab.
Carson LOVES Snow crab, and can crack crab like a pro!
After lunch we strolled through the fresh market and looked at all the variety of seafood available to buy. This is an open air market, and believe me when I say you can buy practically any seafood, I mean anything! Carson was amazed at the live blue crab!We had a great time, made some awesome family memories, and started what I am hoping is a George family tradition. If you ever get the chance to be in D.C. or anywhere close to D.C. during the Cherry Blossoms bloom...DO IT! We have two extra bedrooms and can provide travel up and back.... It is amazing experience and something everyone should see firsthand.